


Twice Shy

by SharpestRose



Category: Popslash
Genre: Gen, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-01
Updated: 2011-07-01
Packaged: 2017-10-20 22:05:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/217553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharpestRose/pseuds/SharpestRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Glittering and beautiful and dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twice Shy

"Soulless pop. They called our music soulless pop in the review."

"We've been called worse." Lance pointed out. Justin shrugged, took another long drag on his cigarette and stared out at the grey afternoon.

"You think souls are real?"

"Yes." the answer was in the air before Lance thought about the question. It seemed like it had been weeks since he'd talked to Justin, who always had Britney attached to one hip and Wade at the other. Glittering parenthesis, Chris had called the pair. And they did glitter, bright eyes and brighter smiles beside Justin's lately pale face.

"Some aboriginal tribes think that photographs steal a bit of the soul away. Where does that leave us?" Justin asked with a tired smirk.

"It's not really us, in the photos. It's a mask, a role we play."

"Hmm." nod. "Perhaps you're right. And if that were true, you'd never be able to tell if we had souls underneath, would you? We'd show up on film either way."

~

Justin broke up with Britney a week later, and cried for another two. His cheeks were flushed high pink with fever and his eyes were as glitter-bright as his ex-girlfriend with tears and heat. He wouldn't keep any food down, JC could get him to drink a glass or two of that revolting energy shake stuff that they used during rehersal periods but it wasn't enough, Justin's face was thin and frail looking by the time he emerged from his post-relationship funk.

~

"Lance?"

"Mm, yeah Just?"

"Brit.. Britney might call. To hook up with you. Um. Don't, ok?"

"Justin, do I really strike you as that insensitive?"

"It's just, you know, she's hot, I know that, and hell, if I were you I'd probably jump her soon as she was back on the market. But, yeah, don't."

"Consider Britney officially not hooked up with by the Bassmaster."

"One day I'm gonna kill Chris for giving you that name."

~

Justin regained a little color in his cheeks, and although nobody said it, everyone thought he was better off without Britney. He tried to write a few new songs with Wade, but the sessions always degenerated into loud arguments. JC and Chris did their best to stay out of the way, but it was hard not to hear the raised voices.

"There's too much beat! It sounds like fucking dance music." Justin shouted.

"It is dance music, genius. You dance to it."

"I don't care. Change it."

"You've been such a pissy bitch since Britney and you broke up."

"Well we wouldn't have had to if it wasn't for you, would we?!"

A door slammed and Justin stalked into the room, punching his fist against the wall and letting off a string of expletives. Chris raised his eyebrows wordlessly at JC, and the two of them pointedly didn't comment.

Wade's beat stayed in the song.

~

Ring ring.

"Hello?"

"Lance? It's Britney."

"Oh, hi, how are you?" he kept his voice guarded, the words short.

"Good. Busy. You know how it is. I was wondering if you wanted to go out dancing on Friday?"

"Uh, look, Britney, you just broke up with one of my close friends. I don't think it would be a good idea for the two of us to get together right now."

She laughed, a sound as glittering as she was.

"I didn't mean like that, silly. A whole group of us. Justin and I are still friends."

Lance raised an eyebrow at that, because he'd seen no evidence of a continuing friendship, but didn't have the heart to turn her down. She sounded so full of life.

~

"Joey, put the timer on the camera and come be in one of the photos!"

"Nah, Kel, 's ok. I get photographed so often I'm sick of it. Lemme take a few more of you and Brianna and use up the roll."

~

"I think we have to talk to Joey and Lance." Chris said, flopping down beside Justin on the couch.

"What about?"

"Am I the only person who sees what's going on? They're fucking lushes! They've got blackout curtains put in on their bus, and they never go out without sunglasses anymore. Their complexions are shot to crap but they never let makeup lay a finger on them."

"Oh." Justin's hands shook almost imperceptibly, his head snapping up as Lance walked into the room. Chris pressed his lips together in a pale line and didn't say a word.

"Hey guys. I was just talking to Britney. She wanted to know if everyone wants to come dancing on Friday?"

"Excuse me." Justin ran out of the room, his skin turning a queasy green color. Lance looked surprised.

"What's up with him?"

Chris shrugged. "Who knows? You said the B word, that probably did it. He's like a junkie in withdrawal when it comes to her."

"Whoops."

"Speaking of addictions... you're not being stupid, are you?"

"Huh?"

"Alcohol. You. Too often combined. Not good for clean cut pop band."

"Whatever. It's never bothered you before."

"You never missed rehersals before."

"One. I missed one. Because I had a throat infection."

"Joey's missed four." Chris pointed out.

"I'm not Joey's keeper! Talk to him about it. I don't have time for this garbage." Lance slammed the door behind him with a load thwack.

~

It just didn't seem fair to Chris. He spent hours trying to perfect his popstar image, and it was fucking hard work to keep it maintained, whereas he'd never even seen JC glance at a mirror and the guy always looked fantastic. The light seemed to love him.

JC glittered.

~

"Do you think the soul is a concept of self-awareness, conscience, or a combination of both?" Justin asked, smoking again. Lance shrugged.

"Don't ask me. JC's the one who knows that existential stuff."

"Physician, heal thyself." Justin murmured bitterly.

~

When they met up at the club, Joey enveloped Britney in a huge bear hug. Dressed in a tiny scrap of expensive cloth and a necklace the size of a small weapon, her skin was cold as ice.


End file.
